Body found in hunt for American who mysteriously vanished during romantic vacation with wife in Turks and Caicos

A body has been found in the search for a New York City man vanished while vacationing in Turks and Caicos after mysteriously leaving his rental in the middle of the night. 

Brian Tarrence, 51, of Midtown Manhattan, arrived to the coral islands on June 22 for a romantic getaway with his wife of one year, staying at an Airbnb in Grace Bay before their planned return to New York on June 29, as reported by News 12 Westchester.

On Saturday, the search – which consisted of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force and a private investigator – was a few hours deep when ‘the body of a deceased male in a decomposed state’ was found in Grace Bay. 

Authorities have not yet established or stated whether the body found at around 9:06am is Tarrence’s.

‘We the police extend condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and ask that the public not speculate and await positive identification of the deceased,’ acting Commissioner Rodney Adams said. 

Just three days into their trip, Tarrence mysteriously left the rental while his wife slept – and hasn’t been seen since. 

‘Everything prior to the point where he walked out of that house, he seems fine,’ private investigator Carl DeFazio told the local outlet.

‘The worst thing is not knowing,’ he added. ‘Every day that goes by is not good.’ 

A body has been found in the search for a New York City man vanished while vacationing in Turks and Caicos after mysteriously leaving his rental in the middle of the night. It has not been established yet whether the body found is that of Brian Tarrence (pictured)

Tarrence (pictured right), 51, of Midtown Manhattan, arrived to the coral islands on June 22 for a romantic getaway with his wife of one year (pictured left), staying at an Airbnb in Grace Bay before their planned return to New York on June 29

On June 22, the couple arrived at world-famous Grace Bay Beach on the northeast coast of Providenciales – a pristine stretch of shoreline famed for its crystal-clear waters, powdery white sand and upscale luxury resorts. 

Three days later, on June 25, Tarrence and his wife spent the afternoon on a boat before heading to dinner. 

However, later that night, his wife awoke to find that he was no longer in the rental home. 

After being notified, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police reviewed security footage near the Airbnb, which showed Tarrence – wearing a T-shirt, shorts and sneakers – walking toward the tourist-heavy downtown area around 3.30am.  

‘That’s a little bizarre in itself,’ DeFazio told News 12, referring to the mystery of why Tarrence left the rental. ‘He’s in the middle of town. His wife was sleeping.’

The area where Tarrence disappeared is ‘very safe,’ according to the investigator, and the New Yorker had both his cellphone and wallet with him when he left.

‘We have him on camera, and he walks into town, and then he basically disappears, and we haven’t heard from him since,’ he told the outlet.

Tarrence’s family hired DeFazio as a private investigator to look into the sudden and uncharacteristic disappearance, as he has now been missing for nearly a week.

After being notified, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police reviewed security footage near the Airbnb, which showed Tarrence – wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers – walking toward the tourist-heavy downtown area around 3.30am (pictured)

Just three days into their trip, Tarrence (pictured) mysteriously left the rental while his wife slept – and hasn’t been seen since

‘So far, we haven’t been successful in anything, but we’re not giving up hope,’ DeFazio said.   

DeFazio, who is also a former NYPD officer and Marine, has been working to obtain records of the 51-year-old’s phone activity during his time on the islands, though he admitted the process has been slow, according to News 12.

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police, who are also investigating the unusual case, have officially listed Tarrence as missing.

‘We are trying everything we can,’ DeFazio told the outlet. ‘We’ve blanketed the area with photos, put it on social media and all kinds of things.’

Police in the British Overseas Territory are deploying all resources to find the New Yorker, including drone scans and thorough reviews of CCTV footage to trace his movements on the night he disappeared, DeFazio shared, as reported by The New York Post.

Tarrence’s wife plans to stay in Turks and Caicos for now, holding onto hope of finding him.

‘What I tell the family in cases like this: Stay positive until you have a reason not to be,’ DeFazio said, as reported by The Post.

The seasoned investigator, active since the 1990s, said he currently sees no evidence of foul play but isn’t ruling out any possibilities. 

‘Everything prior to the point where he walked out of that house, he seems fine,’ private investigator Carl DeFazio told the local outlet. ‘The worst thing is not knowing,’ he added. ‘Every day that goes by is not good’

‘He’s a smart guy,’ he added. ‘We don’t know what’s in his mind or if he did this on his own or if somebody took him in.’ 

DeFazio also praised the island community’s support amid Tarrence’s disappearance, highlighting how missing persons flyers bearing his photo have been distributed ‘everywhere in Turks and Caicos.’ 

Now, Turks and Caicos police are urging anyone with information about Tarrence’s disappearance to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477. 

Though the Caribbean remains a top tourist destination, several foreigners have died under suspicious circumstances – ranging from unexplained drownings to mysterious disappearances from even well-guarded beaches.